Do your elementary kids love a good mystery? Mine always did! There is something about giving kids a clue and watching them lean forward in their seats, eyes wide, trying to figure out the answer — it gets every child in the room engaged, even the quiet ones.

That’s exactly what Bible Character Password does. It’s a team-based guessing game where you give clues about a Bible character one at a time, and kids race to figure out who it is. It’s lively, it’s competitive in the best way, and it gives you a natural built-in opportunity to practice Psalm 119:11 again and again throughout the game.

I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” — Psalm 119:11

This is such an important verse for kids to carry with them. When God’s Word is truly hidden in their hearts, it becomes a guide for every decision they make. This game makes memorizing it feel like anything but work!

• 10 sets of Bible character clue cards (provided below)
• Index cards and envelopes (one envelope per Bible character)
• A pocket chart or display area for the cards
• A scorekeeper

Write each clue on a separate index card. Keep each set of clues in a labeled envelope — but make sure the character’s name faces inward so kids can’t peek! Set up your pocket chart so you can display one clue at a time.

Divide your class into two teams and choose a scorekeeper. Then introduce the game like this:

“Psalm 119:11 says, ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.’ Today we are going to find out just how much of God’s Word you have hidden in YOUR hearts! We’re going to play Bible Character Password. I’ll give your team one clue at a time about an important person from the Bible. You’ll have 10 seconds to guess who it is. A correct guess earns your team 100 points — and if you guess right, I’ll ask someone from your team to recite Psalm 119:11. Get it right and you earn a bonus 50 points!”

Display the first clue card. Give that team 10 seconds to guess. If they don’t get it, show the next clue to the other team. Keep alternating until someone guesses correctly. The team with the most points at the end wins!

1. Abraham: Great faith, stars, promise, Sarah, Isaac, Ishmael, Lot, sacrifice of son.
2. Jacob: Deceiver, 12 sons, wrestled with God, Esau, Isaac, 2 wives.
3. Joseph: Slave, dreamer, 12 brothers, coat, Egypt, jailed, Potipher, Jacob.
4. Moses: Special staff, desert wanderer, prince, burning bush, Red Sea, Commandments.
5. Samuel: Godly mother, dedicated at birth, heard God speak, Judge of Israel, wicked sons, anointed Saul as king.
6. Saul: First king of Israel, anointed king by Samuel, Jonathan, tried to kill David, asks a witch for wisdom, David sang to him
7. David: King, Goliath, psalms, Jonathan, Bathsheba, Solomon, slingshot, shepherd
8. Solomon: Temple builder, David, wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Queen of Sheba
9. Elijah: Miracles, fed by ravens, chariot of fire, endless flour and oil, raised boy from the dead, Mount Carmel, prayed for rain, mount of transfiguration
10. Paul: Pharisee, shipwrecked, temporarily blind, road to Damascus, missionary, wrote letters